


Fetching Neighbors

by Inuy21



Series: Modern Thedas AU [5]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Eventual Romance, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Modern Thedas, Nude Cullen, Slow Romance, a bit of angst, blame the dog this time, mishaps ensue, things get a bit awkward, this is likely to be the most slow burn thing I will ever do
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-09
Updated: 2017-09-09
Packaged: 2018-12-25 20:37:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,245
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12043815
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Inuy21/pseuds/Inuy21
Summary: Evelyn Trevelyan escapes the Ostwick Chantry in favor of a freer life in Ferelden. However, hiding from her family wouldn't allow her the freedom she so desired. So she certainly didn't expect to find and become friends with such a handsome man hidden in the Southron Hills.





	Fetching Neighbors

**Author's Note:**

> Well this is something I've had rattling around in my brain for a while. I finally got an excuse to start on the multi-chapter part of this, so...here it is!
> 
> As stated in the tags, this is likely to be the most slow burn fic I will ever do because Cullen has his reasons for not wanting to get involved in a relationship. That isn't going to stop him from becoming friends with Evelyn and developing feelings for her along the way. Also, since this is a Modern AU, Cullen's path will be a bit different, though there will still be struggles in his life and reasons why he left the Templar Order. 
> 
> Also, yes, there are still Templars and Mages who actually work together for a better world instead of the Templars and Chantry imprisoning Mages. There will be quite a number of one-shots dedicated to building and explaining the world from different characters, but I will do my best to put as much info into this story as well without, hopefully, bogging down the romance story.

Cullen woke with the sun barely over the horizon. It was a routine that had been with him since he could remember. Some days it seemed like a curse, but most days—like today—he took the time to enjoy the peacefulness. Not that it mattered much since he no longer lived in the Templar barracks or with his noisy siblings, but it was still a crucial part of his early morning routine. 

He stretched under the thin blanket, a hand lazily pushing through blonde curls before rolling to his side and turning off the alarm. A smile twitched at his lips as he felt a bit sorry for the poor machine never getting to do its duty—aside from telling the time. Giving the red digits a glance, Cullen pushed out of bed and headed downstairs in only his underwear. 

It was one of the perks of owning a house with no roommates or siblings to worry about. There were also no neighbors to be wary of while he went about his guilty pleasure now that he was out of the city. A decade ago he wouldn’t have been caught dead grabbing the apron off a hook and tying it around his mostly nude body. Of course he also thought he would still be a Templar, would die working for the organization. 

A bitter chuckle rumbled in his throat. Well he almost had, hadn’t he? Instead he’d had the good sense to get out and preserve his sanity. He still maintained a relationship with the force, helped where he could if they needed his skills, but he could also decline or send one of his trusted delegates if he was otherwise occupied. 

Cullen moved to the fridge collecting ingredients and laying them out on the countertop before pulling a skillet off the hanging rack. Then he started the burner on the stove, going through the motions of making breakfast. His life now was good, almost perfect. 

He was his own boss, didn’t have to worry too much about money, and he was reconnecting with his family. The only dilemma was his family and few friends trying to find him a suitable partner—which he had told them a thousand times he didn’t need. Cullen was content with the life he lived and with the travel and secrets his work sometimes required…well he’d found it didn’t exactly bode well for a long term relationship. 

He’d tried and had failed miserably several times. Perhaps it was just that he didn’t put the effort into the relationships because he was dedicated to his job? When he was on a case it consumed him and none of his partners had liked taking second place or being ignored. 

Blowing out a frustrated breath, he couldn’t say he blamed any of them for leaving him. He wasn’t the most communicative person in the world nor was he a romantic. So after a while Cullen had just decided it was best to leave the dating world behind and be content with what he did have in his life—which apparently consisted of cooking almost nude. A huff of laughter parted his lips. It wasn’t such a bad existence. 

If he had a steady job and didn’t have to travel so much he would consider getting a dog for company, but the creature would need love and attention, too. No, his life boiled down to work and little moments like this. It could be worse, far worse and Cullen refused to let himself derail as he almost had years ago. So he focused on cooking breakfast. No more lamenting about his life, just the here and now. 

Cullen grabbed a plate to put food on and a glass for his orange juice. A balancing act ensued as he opened the door then stepped outside. He paused for a moment, soaking in the warm and comforting rays of the sun before moving over to the small patio table. The last step, after putting his glassware down was to shuck his underwear, dropping them on the empty chair, before sitting down to enjoy nature and his breakfast. 

It was nice not having close neighbors, to have to worry about someone seeing him completely naked. The closest house was about a mile down the road and he knew the owners quite well. A huff flared Cullen’s nostrils as the name Garrett Hawke crossed his mind. The man was too friendly and talkative, but one thing Cullen knew for sure was that Hawke was not a morning person. 

Hawke’s partner, Fenris, and their mabari, Dog, were a different story. Cullen liked both of them far better, for one. The tattooed elf was the opposite of his loud-mouthed, obnoxious partner. Fenris was also a morning person, or perhaps a person who didn’t need much sleep—like Cullen—whatever the reason, it had led to a few embarrassing mishaps in the beginning. Thankfully the elf hadn’t told Hawke because Cullen had never received any teasing about the situation from the brash man. 

Then there was Dog. She was the reason Fenris had stumbled upon Cullen’s guilty pleasure in the first place. He’d had many encounters with the beast since then, unsure if it was because Hawke and Fenris somehow knew he enjoyed the animal’s company or if they just let her run free and trusted her to come back instead of winding up at Cullen’s house. He’d lost count on how many times he’d either had to walk or drive the dog home. 

A familiar rustling caught Cullen’s attention, as if his thoughts somehow summoned the mabari for an overdue visit. Snuffling and the rustling of long dead leaves and snapping of branches came from the surrounding forest. Then the giant tan dog came bursting forth with a happy woof and a wagging stub of a tail. 

She didn’t bolt toward the deck as was custom, instead she stood at the edge of the wooded area and continued to bark happily, tossing her head in different directions, and then turning in circles. Cullen watched, confused yet amused at the dog’s antics. 

A laugh passed his lips before he whistled and slapped a hand against the skin of his thigh, trying to get Dog’s attention. Her ears perked, swiveled in his direction but she still ignored him in favor of barking and staring into the forest. The amusement faded as he stood, eyes scanning the woods as Dog stopped barking for a minute. She stood alert, listening for something then turned back in Cullen’s direction then bounded to the top of stairs. 

Dog began barking again, her entire backend waggling furiously as Cullen approached her. “What are you barking at?” he asked in all seriousness, golden eyes still searching the area. He laid a hand atop her head, fingers scratching just behind an ear. “Are you playing a game with a forest animal?” She looked up at him; tongue lolling, causing Cullen to take a few steps away so she wouldn’t accidentally lick a certain part of his uncovered anatomy. She let out a low woof in response and looked back at the forest. “I’m not…” 

It was faint, but he could hear it now. Something else was moving through the woods, calling out. Cullen froze, eyes narrowed as he strained to hear and see more. It was a person’s voice, too high pitched to be Hawke or Fenris. 

He looked down at the grinning dog, her body still vibrating as another round of barking started. The voice was closer the next time it called out, distinctly feminine and Cullen suddenly became aware of his lack of clothing. A blush rose on his cheek as he cursed the dog for finding a new friend and leading them here. 

“Damn you, Dog! Hawke said you would behave, that you were going to protect me and yet here I am chasing after your ass!” 

Cullen was half-way across the deck when the voice rang out over Dog’s barking. His legs stiffened for an instant. She knew Hawke? Was it one of his sisters? He’d only met the red-headed one—Sadie?—a handful of times and the dark-haired one even less. 

Shit, it didn’t matter who it was! He was naked! It had been awkward enough when Fenris had stumbled upon him, but to have some unknown woman see him stripped bare was something he wanted to avoid. 

He had just grabbed the boxer-briefs and was about to step into them when he heard the rustling and her voice too close for his liking. He turned his head, saw movement, and held the bunched up fabric over his cock—making sure all his bits were covered—hoping this would be over quickly. 

Swiveling on the balls of his feet, he found the woman leaning back against a tree while panting. Dog woofed and trotted over to him, her tongue licked the hand at his crotch trying to get his attention. Cullen almost dropped the fabric to shoo the dog away, but he was too aware of the woman now staring at him with wide eyes.

~S~

Emerging from the forest, Evelyn was just glad to have a break as she saw Dog across the clearing. She was about to call out, but then she caught a glimpse of golden skin next to the dog, a strong back and bare ass—tight and round. It was a nice form, but her gaze lingered on the muscled thighs because her eyes refused to be polite and look away when they noticed it was a naked man. 

She forced her eyes to close before being caught, hoping the man knew she was there and would leave or perhaps magically conjure up some clothes. Instead, when she opened her eyes, he was facing her. His attention was turned toward the mabari as she licked at his hand, which Evelyn noticed held a wadded up cloth to cover his….private area. Her eyes widened and, oh Maker, she shouldn’t be staring but it was impossible to look away. 

Well it was a good thing she was already hot and sweaty from jogging—most likely covered in dirt, too, thanks to her search through the woods—because there was no stopping the blood rushing to her cheeks when their gazes met. 

She needed to grab the damned dog and get their asses back to the house so she could pretend this never happened. The thought of tucking tail made her lips twitch up. A hand rose to cover the lower half of her face as a giggle shook her body. Priceless, Trevelyan, run away from the Chantry so your mind can still be ruled by it, she chided. 

She’d escaped from Ostwick so she could have the freedom to do as she pleased, though how she was going to go about this situation was lost on her. Should she introduce herself? It was obvious that Dog didn’t want to leave this man’s side, so she was at least familiar with him. Well, duh, he would be considered Hawke and Fenris’ neighbor, right? 

Pulling herself together because one of them had to break this awful silence, Evelyn cleared her throat and lowered her hand. She pushed away from the tree, walking half-way across the clearing before stopping. “I, uh, I’m sorry about the intrusion…” ‘Sir’ was on the tip of her tongue but she couldn’t bring herself to say it. 

She watched in fasciation as the scar on his upper lip twitched. His free hand disheveled blonde curls, and then slipped down to rub at his neck as he glanced down at the mabari. 

“Seems as though Dog thought we should meet.” The hand at his neck lowered to rest on the dog’s head. The mabari gave an excited woof, looking up at Cullen then back at his guest. “So you’re, uh, staying at Hawke’s or just visiting?” He didn’t want to be too nosy, but it was rare that the two men had house guests that he knew about. 

“Oh,” she said surprised, laughing a bit to try to hide her nervousness as she stepped forward. “Yeah, I just moved in yesterday. I’ll be, um, staying for a while.” She paused at the foot of the stairs, unsure if she should climb them. She opted to lean against the handrail as casual as possible. “I’m Evelyn, by the way,” she greeted with a slight smile, hoping he couldn’t tell how aroused she was at this moment. 

“Cullen,” he returned with a slight nod. The hand on Dog’s head lifted, stopped mid-air, and then went back to rub at his neck. 

He was about to ask how long she would be staying when a moist nose shoved against his bare ass. Cullen jumped, the hand keeping his small bit of modesty moved to swat at the dog, the fabric slipping from his fingers in the process. He watched in horror as Dog snatched the garment between her teeth and took off at a run, bounding off the deck past Evelyn. 

Evelyn shouted then groaned as she caught a glimpse of male anatomy. The blush spread like wildfire over her skin as curiosity got the better of her. Oh she’d seen plenty of shirtless chests, but she’d only viewed pictures of the…rest. His male parts held her attention as Dog zipped past her, leaping over the three shallow steps that led up to the deck. 

Cullen growled, making her head whip up to find him using those well-muscled legs to sprint after the dog. A breath caught in Evelyn’s throat as she dodged out of the way, watching him vault over the stairs intent on catching the thief. Dog weaved through the first layer of trees outside the clearing, keeping Cullen just out of reach. He snarled and cursed, and Evelyn was ashamed to admit that she stood watching the two—mostly Cullen—race around. 

She was fascinated by the way he moved. How graceful he was when he lunged and stretched for the dog. The way his biceps bulged as he caught himself from running into tress or falling to the ground when his feet slipped. How the muscles in his back, butt, and thighs bunched and pulled with each movement. Then, Maker, there was the way his male bits flopped as he chased Dog. It was all a bit overwhelming studying his body and keeping her mind from wandering to impure thoughts. 

It wasn’t until Dog came dashing back toward the deck that she moved, throwing herself at the beast in an attempt to tackle her to the ground. Dog yelped as her enormous, muscled body hit the ground with Evelyn on top, the wind being knocked out of both them. When Evelyn went to grapple for the cloth, it took her a moment to realize it had already been dropped. So then she had to find just where the piece of fabric had landed. 

Then things got even more awkward when she turned her head and came face-to-face with Cullen’s penis. Heat; there was so much heat her mind began to swim in it. Her eyes refused to look away as the length twitched and hardened just a bit. Her breath caught in her throat until she forced herself to swallow and her tongue flicked out to wet her drying lips. The appendage bobbed to life once more. Curiosity was going to be the death of her one of these days or perhaps get her thrown in prison. 

Cullen cleared his throat and took a step back, thoroughly embarrassed. The Chant of Light buzzed at the back of his mind, calming him as a pair of odd-colored grey eyes looked up at him then veered toward the forest. He should say something, anything to make this less awkward. 

A nervous cough worked its way up Evelyn’s throat as she glanced back in his direction then thrust her hand at him. “I, uh, Maker,” she stammered, biting her lip and turned her attention back toward the woods. 

Cullen’s fingers brushed against hers as he took the slobbery underwear. Then quick as lightning, Dog was on the move again. She sprang up, knocking Evelyn on her ass, teeth snatching at the fabric that Cullen now held securely and out of reach. A tsked chuckle rumbled in his throat as the mabari whined. 

“This isn’t a dog toy,” Cullen playfully scolded, shaking the hand that held the fabric. 

Dog woofed, the little nub of her tail wagging happily while her eyes remained focused on the prize. She was about to jump, but Evelyn dove forward, fingers curling around the dog’s collar to hold the animal back. Dog whined again, adding a huff at being thwarted before sitting. 

Evelyn grumbled as she pushed up on her knees to stand. Fingers still looped around the collar, her other hand attempted to brush the dirt and grass from her lower legs. Anything to keep her focus away from…him. “I should, uh, get going before Dog decides to further embarrass either of us.” A half-hearted chuckle barely made it out of her mouth. 

Cullen sighed with relief but knew he would have to do more as he watched her struggle with the mabari. “I have a leash,” he stated. He knew how stubborn Dog could be. 

“Oh?” Evelyn looked up, confused. “I don’t want to trouble you further. I can, um…” She tugged at the collar again causing Dog to stumble forward on stiff legs. “I can use the extra work-out.” A smile curved her lips as strained laughter bubbled up. 

A smile tipped one side of his lips up. “Please, I insist. It isn’t your fault all this happened.” Maker, he was never going to get over this, would never be able to fully enjoy this small bit of freedom again. With as much discretion as possible, the hand holding his underwear moved down to cover himself as he turned toward the deck. “I’ll be just a moment.”

Evelyn groaned as she watched him spring up the stairs and across the deck. She tugged a bit more desperately at Dog’s collar, but the beast dug her paws into the earth. Her head wriggled and Evelyn was afraid if she kept pulling Dog would be somehow slip out the collar. More chaos would follow when all Evelyn wanted was to get back to safety, so she gave up the fight and waited for Cullen to return. 

“Hawke is going to get an earful when we get back,” Evelyn bit out. 

Dog didn’t look convinced as she let out a grumbled whine. Evelyn rolled her eyes and huffed. Hawke would be hearing about this little adventure—not all of it, of course—but enough to know that Dog wouldn’t be accompanying her unless there was a leash. She couldn’t have another encounter like this. Not that she was complaining about stumbling upon an attractive naked man. 

Heat bloomed across her cheeks and around her ears. It was an experience worth having, but, Maker, would she ever be able to look at Cullen and not picture…all of him? Evelyn closed her eyes and took a deep breath. How often would they even run into each other? Neither Hawke nor Fenris had mentioned the man, so maybe they weren’t on friendly terms? Cullen didn’t seem a bad sort and Dog liked him well enough. 

Her eyes rolled behind closed lids as laughter climbed up her throat. She was being silly and overthinking things as usual. It wasn’t worth fretting over; she had enough on her plate already. So she would stash the images from today in the back of her mind and not let the awkwardness suffocate her. Cullen had remained composed throughout the encounter, so it was only fair that she return the kindness.

A few minutes later Dog barked and tried to free herself once again. Evelyn opened her eyes to find Cullen coming back out, thankfully dressed in a pair of plaid pajama pants and a black tank top, with a leather leash in hand. The scar on his lip twitched as he smiled at her. She returned the gesture, letting Dog go then following her up the stairs. 

Evelyn watched as Cullen knelt, latching the leash to the collar, then stood back up. Dog licked at his hand then panted in contentment, waiting for their walk to commence. A light chuckle rumbled through the air as he scratched the mabari’s head and jowls. Evelyn smiled as she watched them, Cullen praising the dog as if she had done nothing wrong today. 

“I can see why she likes you so much,” she quipped, catching Cullen’s attention as if he’d forgotten she was standing there. “I bet you spoil her.” He didn’t own a dog, as far as she could tell, and yet here he was with a leash. What else did he have stashed away inside just for Dog?

Heat surfaced on his cheeks as he once again rubbed at his neck and rolled his shoulders in a shrug. “I might,” he admitted, the corner of his mouth tugging up, “just a little.”

“I knew it,” Evelyn laughed. “Will she even want to leave?” she asked a bit more seriously, though a smile still lit her face. She couldn’t blame the dog for wanting to stay. 

Cullen extended the loop toward her. “I suppose we’ll find out.”

Dark brown eyes watched the exchange, curious yet not unhappy. Was the dog ever not happy? Between all the humans that doted on, Evelyn guessed that Dog didn’t have very many complaints about her life. Evelyn ruffled the dog’s fur with one hand as she took the leash with the other. 

“I can’t blame you for wanting to stay,” Evelyn started, shooting a quick side glance at Cullen, “but I’d really appreciate it if you would leave without a fight.” She was tired and sore from the mile jog, her trip through the woods, and having to tackle the beast of a dog. 

Dog stood, nosed at Cullen’s thigh until he petted her. Then he dropped down to one knee, looking into the dog’s eyes. “Thank you for introducing me to your new friend, but you have to be a good girl and go home now.” Dog whined making Cullen chuckle and press his forehead against hers. “It’s not the end of the world, you silly pup.” 

Slobber coated his chin, lips, and cheek before he could push away. Cullen knew he needed to get to his feet or Dog would continue her assault. Upon standing, without thinking, he pulled the bottom of his tank top up to wipe the wetness from his face. He bent his head as he adjusted his shirt to get a dryer spot. 

“Well, then.” 

Her voice made him freeze. Maker, how did he keep forgetting she was there? She’d already seen him naked, so it wasn’t as if flashing his chest was a big deal, but it was impolite of him to ignore her. When he lowered the fabric and looked at her, Dog was patiently sitting by her side. 

“Sorry,” the embarrassed apology slipped out as a slight blush covered his cheeks. 

Evelyn covered her mouth as she laughed, not wanting to be rude, but he was just too adorable and she was glad to know that he wasn’t intentionally making her uncomfortable. “It’s alright. Dog slobber.” A hand circled around her face. “I can’t blame you for wanting it off. I just didn’t want to leave while you were distracted.” Even though she would have done exactly that several times over by now had Dog been willing to leave. 

Cullen nodded a bit awkwardly. “I, um…” What should he say? Was a ‘nice to meet you’ too much? She had seen him naked, dick out, in her face. Maker! No, he couldn’t think with that thought buzzing around inside him. 

Pulling on the leash, Evelyn got Dog to stand. “Sorry about all this, and thank you for the leash. I’ll bring it back, I swear,” she stammered a bit, walking back a few steps. A sigh of relief left her lungs as Dog followed her. She hoped the trip home would continue to be this easy. 

“Don’t…don’t worry about it. Any of it, please.” He just wanted to forget about it. In fact, he should be the one apologizing. “I’m sure Hawke or Fenris would be willing to drop the leash off.” Or he could just go over there himself to retrieve it, perhaps let her know that he wasn’t some weird nudist. 

“Oh,” she breathed out, a bit disappointed. Not that she could blame him for not wanting to see her again after today. “Okay. Then maybe I’ll see you around.” A blush rose onto her cheeks. “Not that…Maker.” She did want to see him again, but not at the expense of his dignity again. 

A chuckle slipped past Cullen’s defenses. “I’ll be fully dressed next time, I promise.” It would be a long while before he even thought about being exposed again. 

Evelyn blushed harder and bit her lip. “Good,” she managed to squeak out, hoping he took it as just embarrassment for her loss of words. She turned, making sure that Dog would actually follow her, then tossed a “see ya” over her shoulder as she skipped down the steps before she said or did something to fluster her more.

**Author's Note:**

> *And yes, Hawke has TWO sisters. I couldn't leave my female Hawke out of this world....So, while Sadie will be referred to as Garrett's sister/twin at times, she has been adopted in this universe by the Hawkes. I have more one-shots planned for her that will eventually go into detail, but just know that she did grow up with Garrett (though she's a bit older than he is) and the family doesn't see her as adopted, just as another child/sibling. 
> 
> Comments/critiques and kudos are always appreciated.


End file.
